Rate control protocol for long thin transmission channels

Abstract

The invention deals with rate control protocols having a probing phase during which the sending rate of the transmitter is repeatedly increased until a loss is reported by the receiver. Such probing phases are used by the transmitter to quickly increase its sending rate to a fair share of the transmission channel bandwidth. According to the invention, a fake loss is generated by the receiver when the sending rate has risen to the current capacity of the transmission channel so as to force the transmitter to terminate the probing. Application: wireless Internet access to audio-video streaming services.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention deals with a data transmission system comprising at least a transmitter having an adaptable sending rate, a transmission channel having a time varying capacity, and a receiver having data control means for detecting losses and feedback means for reporting said losses to the transmitter, said transmitter having probing means for probing the transmission channel by repeatedly raising its sending rate until a loss is reported by the receiver. [0002] The invention also deals with a receiver to be used in such a transmission system. [0003] The invention also deals with a rate control method to be used for transmitting data from a transmitter having an adaptable sending rate to a receiver designed for detecting losses and reporting losses to said transmitter, through a transmission channel having a time varying capacity, said rate control method comprising the step of repeatedly raising the sending rate of the transmitter for probing the transmi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] Long thin networks (wireless access links, satellite links, etc. . . . ) generally induce large Round Trip Times. Typically the Round Trip Time reaches some hundreds of milliseconds for a wired access to the Internet while it can reach several seconds for a wireless access. This prevents high reactivity. Especially, when the transmission channel is being probed by repeatedly raising the sending rate of the transmitter, there is a risk that the capacity of the transmission channel is exceeded, thereby generating additional losses because the feedback of the receiver is not received on time at the transmitter.

[0012] By reporting a fake loss when the sending rate of the transmitter has risen to the current capacity of the transmission channel, the invention overcomes this risk.

Problems solved by technology

Especially, when the transmission channel is being probed by repeatedly raising the sending rate of the transmitter, there is a risk that the capacity of the transmission channel is exceeded, thereby generating additional losses because the feedback of the receiver is not received on time at the transmitter.

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